Democrats on the House Intel Committee are desperately trying to beat back one of the key findings in the FISA abuse memo -- specifically that Deputy FBI Dir. Andrew McCabe admitted under oath that there would've been no FISA warrant without the "dirty dossier."

That admission is what gives the rest of the revelations about the dossier teeth.

The Daily Beast's Spencer Ackerman, who recently got another story wrong based on faulty tips from Democrats on the committee, has a new story based on (likely the same) Democrat sources:

NEW: Nunes memo says FBI's McCabe testified there would be no surveillance warrant on Page "without the Steele dossier information." Two sources tell me McCabe never said that.https://t.co/H5c1j7HYx7

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Friday delivered a subtle but stinging rebuke to House Republicans over their move to release a classified memo alleging misconduct at the FBI, urging President Donald Trump and other Republicans to stop "manufacturing partisan sideshows" that benefit Russia.

The statement from McCain, who is away from Washington undergoing treatment for brain cancer, came minutes after Trump signed off on the release of the memo crafted by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee. McCain directly connected his fellow Republicans' campaign to undercut the FBI with Russian President Vladimir Putin's meddling in the 2016 election.

"The latest attacks on the FBI and Department of Justice serve no American interests — no party's, no president's, only Putin's," McCain said. The Arizonan, a longtime Russia hawk who helped shape a bipartisan package of sanctions against Moscow last year, added that "Special Counsel [Robert] Mueller's investigation must proceed unimpeded."